It’s been four months and the communities of Mattituck and its neighboring hamlets refuse to give up hope that Gigi will make her way back to her family.
The black Labrador, who will turn two years old shortly after Christmas, went missing from her home July 15. The dog had been life changing for Michael DiSilvio, a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., and at Fort Drum in Jefferson County, N.Y.. Gigi motivated him to rise out of bed every morning and take his kids to school and became the glue that kept his family together.
Like Mr. DiSilvio, his wife, Kathleen Stewart, and their children, Isla and Raylan, the community believes Gigi is still out there trying to find her way home, or with another family. To whoever may know her whereabouts and can bring her home safe and sound, the DiSilvios’ friends and neighbors are offering cash rewards. On Sunday, Nancy Blasko, a Mattituck native and a friend of Ms. Stewart, posted a video of a slideshow with photos of Gigi scored to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” to her Facebook page with a call-to-action caption.
“Please help in a Christmas Miracle,” she wrote. “I personally will give $1,000 to the person that leads to the return of Gigi, or returns Gigi themselves … No questions asked. Someone knows something. She didn’t just vanish! This could be even your neighbor that has her. This is our local veteran from our home town! This is a service dog and a family pet. To the person that has her … No one knows it’s you, just drop her off at home! Do the right thing! No questions! Be the Christmas Miracle in returning her.”
Ms. Blasko’s post circulated, and in addition to offers of aid posted beneath it, Mr. DiSilvio said he has received five calls from people pledging to donate funds to the newly formed Gigi return fund.
“It’s a movement,” Mr. DiSilvio said. “It’s not over. It was kind of fading and it’s starting up again. More people are calling us for flyers again. It’s just amazing; I just can’t believe it.”
Over the past four months, various do-gooders approached the family to offer rewards for Gigi’s return, but they typically respectfully declined these offers.
“I didn’t want to do an award, but it’s getting so overwhelming, the number of people who want to donate money,” Mr. DiSilvio said. “All these people are really helping, who am I to say no? People really want Gigi to come home just as much as me.”
While nothing but Gigi’s return could fill the void she left at the DiSilvio home, the family recently welcomed Simba, a 6-year-old white Lab they adopted from someone who hoped to find her a new home, into their lives.
“[Simba] is not a service dog, but he keeps me calm in the car,” Mr. DiSilvio said. “I’m walking more than ever — three, four or five times a day. Me and my son walk the dog, and I didn’t realize my daughter needed an older Lab. My daughter falls asleep on the hardwood floor with the dog.”
Mr. DiSilvio compared Simba to one of his former drill sergeants because he is naturally more assertive and firm nature than Gigi. And now that he has bonded with Simba, Mr. DiSilvio said he may consider something he has refused for years.
“I think I’m going to have to have a certified service dog,” he said. “The way animals have helped me, I think that will be the best treatment.”